<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Anniversary Dance by Dreamin</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28066959">Anniversary Dance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin'>Dreamin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Domesticity [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pride and Prejudice &amp; Related Fandoms, Pride and Prejudice (2005), Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anniversary, Established Relationship, F/M, Married Couple, Older Man/Younger Woman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:01:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>660</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28066959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mary Bennet/Original Male Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Domesticity [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2079897</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Anniversary Dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts">afteriwake</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mary turned her head this way and that as she looked at her image in the vanity mirror, making sure her updo looked just right. It was her and Leland’s first anniversary and her parents were throwing them a party, though Mary would have much preferred to stay home.</p><p><em>Not that anyone but Leland understands that,</em> she thought as she put on one of the garnet chandelier earrings he had given her earlier that day. As always, thinking about her husband made her smile. Leland was just as attentive and thoughtful as she knew he’d be. <em>Not to mention absolutely fantastic in bed.</em></p><p>She was just putting on the second earring when he walked out of their shared walk-in closet, struggling with his cufflinks. He stopped dead when he saw her and she knew just what he was seeing – her, hair up and make-up on, and wearing nothing but her black lace underthings.</p><p>He smirked. “Are you trying to kill me, Lady Sheffield?”</p><p>Mary rolled her eyes fondly. “Believe me, I would much rather stay home too, but we both promised my parents we’d be there.” She stood up to get dressed but Leland pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. She kissed him back, her hands moving to his cuff.</p><p>“Yes,” he murmured against her lips. “Get the damn thing off.”</p><p>“Sorry, Leland,” she murmured as she got the cufflink fastened properly. “We promised we’d go. I’ll make it up to you tonight.”</p><p>He pouted, adorably in her opinion. “You know we’ll probably end up staying the night at Longbourn. I don’t relish the idea of debauching you in your childhood bedroom.”</p><p>Mary smirked. “That’s too bad – when I was a teenager, I often daydreamed that a handsome knight would rescue me from my family, but not before having his wicked way with me in my bed. I traded my knight for an earl but he still rescued me.” She fixed his other cufflink then grinned at him. “So, will you have your wicked way with me tonight, my lord?”</p><p>Leland growled softly before kissing her soundly. When her lust-filled brain could think again, she counted that as a yes.</p>
<hr/><p>Leland was determined not to leave his wife’s side from the moment they walked into her parents’ house. The Bennets were people to be tolerated in the best times and ignored in the worst. Thankfully, the Darcys and Bingleys were also there and acted as buffers.</p><p>Of course, no one was spared when his mother-in-law loudly declared that it was high time she had some grandchildren. The Wickhams’ three didn’t count since they lived “too far” away, according to her. All three married daughters were reminded that their biological clocks were ticking. His father-in-law tried to mitigate the damage, saying that they had plenty of time, but it was too late.</p><p>Mary left the sitting room in a huff and Leland hurried after her. He caught up to her in the hallway and gently took her into his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder.</p><p>“Why does she always have to be this way?” she asked, her voice muffled. “We shouldn’t have come.”</p><p>“The party is in our honor,” he reminded her gently, one hand stroking her hair. “And I did promise to thoroughly have my wicked way with you, if you’ll recall.”</p><p>She laughed weakly. “I love you.”</p><p>“And I love you.” From the sitting room, the first few notes of Josh Groban’s “When You Say You Love Me,” their wedding song, started playing. “Dance with me,” he murmured.</p><p>Mary nodded against his chest and they started to slow dance, swaying gently to the music. When the song was over and she was completely relaxed in his arms, he murmured, “The earl would like to take his countess upstairs and do as she suggested earlier. Would that be agreeable?”</p><p>“Most agreeable,” she murmured. “Take me to bed, my lord.”</p><p>“I live to serve, my lady.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>